Thoughts on potential purchase please

[deerhunt799]

Looking at a 2006 Coachmen Freedom M200RB. Has the 6.0 chevy with 107k miles. General consensus on this powertrain? Just not sure if that's too many miles or not. Have always had bumper pulls and this would be my first motorhome. Thanks!

[ericsmith32]

Good to know. From what I've read it's fairly simple but making sure the RV is properly secured after the drive shaft is loose scares me! And the part doesn't always fix it and the whole tail housing has to rebuilt. I guess maxlife ATF is cheap..

[IAMICHABOD]

ericsmith32 wrote:

IAMICHABOD wrote:


I just had the 100,000 mile service completed and the only thing it had was a small leak on the transmission tail shaft that was fixed,I would also check the rubber brake lines,one was soft so I had all of mine replaced.

If you don't mind how much did that cost you to fix? Ours is leaking bad out of the back, also out of the front but not as bad. Common issue it seems with the 4L80E.

The part was $38 and the labor was $220,your cost may be different but out here the labor cost is $140 per hour for RVs.:E

My mechanic gives a 2 Year warranty on all his work.

[ericsmith32]

IAMICHABOD wrote:
You should have no problem at that mileage,I have a 2006 Former Rental on a Chevy Chassis and if it was maintained well it will go a long ways without any problem.

I just had the 100,000 mile service completed and the only thing it had was a small leak on the transmission tail shaft that was fixed,I would also check the rubber brake lines,one was soft so I had all of mine replaced.

Other than that it has been trouble free,just regular maintenance as you would do on any other vehicle. These newer vehicles are produced to have longer lifetimes,hence the long warranties that are on them from the factory.

If you don't mind how much did that cost you to fix? Ours is leaking bad out of the back, also out of the front but not as bad. Common issue it seems with the 4L80E.

[Jbrowland]

Assuming you do your due diligence BEFORE the sale then why not? I bought mine with 124,000 miles on it and it has been amazing! In the year I have owned it, we have been to Yosemite 3 times, Zion, Vegas, Sequoias, Big Sur, more than a dozen state parks, Monterey, and more. It looks close to new inside and out. Most people think it is a 2015 model and it runs better than some 2015's. A few issues? Sure! Of course. The same issues some 2015's have. It's an RV after all. 😉

[Bordercollie]

Forgot to mention; The roof AC unit, the fridge, fresh water pump, converter charger and house and starting batteries and awning fabric started needing replacement in our rig at the ten year old mark. Most rigs use the same brands of appliances etc., so plan for replacements and set up a "pearl harbor" bank account instead of buying an extended warranty plan that is full of loopholes.
Longevity depends on usage history to some extent.

[Cloud_9]

Well, I would worry more about the years than the mileage. Belts, hoses, brake fluid change, coolant, differential, shocks, tires. (Again years not miles.) all suspect, may need replacement.As for engine, tranny, differential, we currently own, and have driven GM vehicles both in business, and for RV use many miles, and have no issues with the powertrain, things like rust, overall wear and tear, and appearance caused their demise. We put 250-300,000 miles in business use on these small block V8s with automatic transmissions. The worst thing you can do to a RV is let it sit.

[bristles]

I would not want to sway your opinion in any way, but I work for a freight company and we have 3 Chevy vans. 1 with a 5.3L and the other 2 with the 4.8L. The year range from 2004 to 2008 and the mileage on each is 179,000, 262,000, and other at 302,000. We have done nothing other than regular maintenance and a few sensor issues. All in all the mileage doesn't scare me away from a good buy.

[j-d]

^^^I have Ford and I agree^^^ If the coach we wanted had Chevy, that's what we would have gotten. Chevy will work out just fine, especially in a smaller Class C. Get in a Ford after a Chevy and you'll feel claustrophobic in the cockpit.

That 6.0 is well on its way to the acclaim the older small blocks like 5.7 earned.

Just get the coach checked over. I'd suggest a mechanic for the chassis and an RV tech equipped with a pressure test machine for the coach part. Chassis problems and failed appliances are one thing. Severe water damage is another.

[Bordercollie]

Along with checkout by a qualified truck mechanic, have brake system inspected and serviced as necessary including brake fluid flush and replacement. Have cooling system checked out including belts and hoses, radiator and clutch fan. Replace any tires that are older than 5 years old by date codes on tires. Make sure that the roof and dash AC, furnace and fridge work properly and that the RV generator starts and runs steadily. The house batteries should read 13.6 volts fully charged and 14 volts with engine running. Check fresh water pump operation. Check awning fabric condition.

[IAMICHABOD]

deerhunt799 wrote:
Looking at a 2006 Coachmen Freedom M200RB. Has the 6.0 chevy with 107k miles. General consensus on this powertrain? Just not sure if that's too many miles or not. Have always had bumper pulls and this would be my first motorhome. Thanks!

deerhunt799 wrote:

Was more curious about the motor and tranny with the miles.

Thanks for the input everyone...if anyone else has any experience with this powertrain, I'm all ears.

There has got to be more Chevy owners out there that would answer the OPs question on the drive train and not go sideways telling him about Fords,that is not what he asked..:S

[OutdoorPhotogra]

Check out the owners thread of former rental RVs. It will give you info on higher mileage RVs as well and talk about avenues for buying prior rentals which will help you evaluate the price for your potential RV. El Monte Sales offers a limited warranty on their RVs.

[rockhillmanor]

cgmartine wrote:
I respectfully disagree with the poster who believes that is a "ton of mileage." My 2008 Tioga has 110,000 and I would brag that it runs just as good as when it rolled off the factory floor.

My motorhome has the V-10 e450 Triton

and it is bullet proof. If that motorhome has been properly taken care of, with proper documentation, and if you were to continue its maintenance, you could certainly get upwards of 200,000 miles out of it. Not bad for a ton of mileage, huh?

X10!

Note to the OP.
With the V-10 There are 2 chassis. The 350 and the 450. On the 450 the signet on it might just say Super Duty. IMHO there is a substantial difference between the two. So check that out also.

Hope you find the perfect new to you RV. :C

[cgmartine]

I respectfully disagree with the poster who believes that is a "ton of mileage." My 2008 Tioga has 110,000 and I would brag that it runs just as good as when it rolled off the factory floor. My motorhome has the V-10 e450 Triton and it is bullet proof. If that motorhome has been properly taken care of, with proper documentation, and if you were to continue its maintenance, you could certainly get upwards of 200,000 miles out of it. Not bad for a ton of mileage, huh?

[mikeleblanc413]

Much of the research for the purchase of my 2000 Winnebago Minnie Winnie was done on this site. One of the best pieces of advice was to get a V10. I ultimately purchased the unit with 32,000 miles and traveled flawlessly through 23 states and 30,000 miles. I did do preventive maintenance and did keep up with necessary fluids, etc. I recently sold the motorhome, and for now "Baby Girl" (my catahoula) and I are taking life easy in East Texas.